Magazine phonograph



March 5, 1940. N 2,192,794

MAGAZINE PHONOGRAPH Filed Sept; 21, 1938 Inventor 5 man M fill Attorney:

PATENT OFFICE 2,192,794 mom mouocmrn George Stanley Mann, Ipswich,England Application September 21, 1938, set-m No. 231,083 in GreatBritain September 29, 1937 H0 Claims.

This invention relates to magazine phonoraphs of the kind having meansfor automatically and successively transferring the records to be playedfrom a magazine or pile to the turntable. With such arrangements eachplayed record either remains on the turntable, which is depressed topermit receiving a fresh' record (such as the phonograph described inthe specification of applicant's British Patent No. 472,135 publishedOctober 14, 1937 and sealed December 9, 1937) or is removed from theturntable to-a discarded well for played records (such as described inthe specification of applicants British Patent No. 402,779 publishedJanuary 4, 1934 and sealed November 8, 1934), the'magazine orrecord-storage platform being raised step by step as each top record isremoved.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide simple butefiective means for determining and controlling the proper position ofthe top record on the record-storage platform and for locking orretaining said platform in position between successive liftingmovements.

In order that the invention can be fully ap-' preciated, one preferredembodiment thereof will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows somewhat diagrammatically a plan view of a magazinephonograph according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows, also diagrammatically, a sectional elevation of Fig. l,and

Fig. 3 shows a. schematic view of the hydraulic 35 shown in Figs. 1 and2. 4 r

This particular embodiment of. the invention is carried out inconnection with a magazine phonograph of the kind wherein the recordsare transferred to a depressible turntable 5 upon whichthe records areplayed and the played records stored, the arrangement being such as thatdescribed in applicant's British specification No. 472,135.

The records to be played are housed in a pile in a compartment or wellof the phonograph cabinet and they rest upon a platform 6 mounted uponthe upper end of a vertical guide sleeve 7 sliding over a centralvertical rod 8 fixed at its lower end to the base of the cabinet. Saidsleeve 1 is in twoscrewed-together adjustable parts to allow foralteration of its length and is suitably guided in a bearing 9 carriedby a cross member II of the cabinet.

The upper end portion of the vertical rod I extends through therecord-storage platform fluid system incorporated in the arrangement andforms a pin upon which records H are cen tered.

A coiled spring I! supported on the cross member Ill of the cabinet actsupon the underside of the platform 5 and tends to raise the 'said plat-5 form and the records thereon.

The turntable 5 is adapted to be depressed to carry the played recordsII and is interconnected with the record-storage platform B so as todescend as said platform rises, being used 10 inconjunction with asingle record-lifting or transferring device, such as a singlehorizontally swinging arm carrying an electro-magnet, as described inapplicant's British specification No. 472,135 and as indicated at l3.

The turntable 5 is mounted 'withina well or, chamber of the phonographcabinet and is carried by the upper end of a central vertical sleeve 14which is slidable and rotatable over a vertical centre guide rod 15fixed at its lower end to the base of the cabinet. The upper end of thisrod I5 serves to receive the records ll. a r

The sleeve I4 is adapted to be rotated by a v I motor unit l6 throughthe intermediary of a sliding coupling device so that the turntable 5can be driven while at any height.

The lower end of the turntable sleeve I4 is coupled, by a pin and slotconnection, to one end of a two-armed lever system l'l the other arm ofwhich is similarly coupled by a pin and slot connection to the lower endof the sleeve 7 of the record-storage platform 6.

The lever system I! is fulcrumed at its middle upon a bracket l8 andmoves in a vertical plane.

It will bereadily appreciated that by reason of 'this lever connection,the turntable 5 descends to a distance equal to the thickness of a'record while the record-storage platform 6 rises a similar amount, saidlatter platform being constantly urged upwards by means of itsspring l2assisted by the weight of any records such .as H" on the turntable 5.

In order to control the lifting of the platform 6 and the correspondingdepression of the turntable 5 and also to determinethe correct positionof the top record upon the platform 6, that arm of the lever system IIwhich is nearest the turntable is connected by an upwardly directed linkI! to the upper end of a piston rod 20 which carries at its lower end apiston 2| working within a vertical cylinder 22 adapted to be filledwith oil or other suitable hydraulic fluid.

The upper and lower ends of the cylinder 22 are wnnected by a conduit 23within the length of which there is provided a valve box 24.

Consequently, although the piston 2| .is con-,

stantly urged downwards by reason of its connection with the leversystem II, it cannot descend and displace the fluid below it so long asthe valve 25 remains closed and thus the platform 6 cannot rise.

In order to move the valve 25 from its co.- operating seating when thetop record on the storage platform 6 is removed, a horizontal controlarm or lever 21 is provided and is adapted to rest upon the top recordon the platform 6. This control arm 21 is pivoted at its inner end to abracket 28 mounted on the phonograph cabinet and such as to turn in avertical plane. The outer or free end of this control arm, which liesover the top record near the centre thereof, is weighted so that the armrests on said record.

Furthermore, near the pivoting point of the I said control arm 2'! isprovided an adjustable screw 29 which is adapted to abut against theupper end of a vertical push rod 30 whose lower end extends into thevalve box 24 and is adapted to engage with the valve 25.

So long as the top record on the platform 6 is at its correct height,the control arm 21 resting thereon occupies a relatively raised positionand the push rod 30 merely rests lightly on the valve 25 without anypressure being applied to it by the arm.

When, however, the top record has been transferredto the turntablethrough the intermediary of the transfer arm indicated at Hi, thecontrol arm 2! falls on the next record and in doing so its weightthrusts the push rod 30 downwards against the valve 25 which is thusforced from its seating against the action of the spring 25. Thus, theconduit 23 is opened to permit the passage of fluid from one end to theother of the cylinder 22 and allow the piston 2| to descend a shortdistance in its cylinder and the platform to rise.

The control arm 21 will also be raised by the next top recordand whenthis record reaches its predetermined correct height for transfer thecontrol arm will have risen to its initial position and, relieving thepressure on the push rod 30.

' will release the valve 25 which, under the action of the spring 26,will again close the conduit 23, thus preventing further movement of thepiston 2i and consequently further upward movement of the platform 6.

It should be noted that the piston 2i is provided with a through passagecontrolled by a springloaded ball valve 3| that closes the passageduring downward movement of the piston but is capable of opening saidpassage if the piston is moved upwards.

When all records have been removed from the record-storage platform 6the piston 21 will be at the bottom of its stroke, the oil from beneathhaving been transferred to the top of the cylinder 22 past the controlvalve 26. v

To re-load the storage platform 6, said platform is depressed (afterremoval of the played records from the turntable 5), causing the pistonto rise to the top of its cylinder, thus transferring the oil from'thetop of the cylinder to the space beneath the piston past the ball valve3|.

There is indicated at 32 a pick-up arm mechanism which is preferably ofthe kind described in the specification of applicants co-pending Britishpatent application No. 26,381/37 although it is of course to beunderstood that any suitable pickup or tone-arm device can be providedin con- Junction with the turntable 5.

The invention is not limited to the precise forms or details ofconstruction described, as these may be varied to suit particular caseswithout departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesof America is:

1. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring thetop record thereon to a predetermined level, a chamber adapted tocontain a hydraulic fluid, a member operatively connected to theplatform and forming a movable wall of the said chamber, a passage-wayto allow such fluid to flow from said chamber, a valve device forcontrolling the flow of such fluid from the chamber, movable means forcontacting with the top record on the platform and a connection betweensaid contacting means and the valve device so that upon the top recordbeing removed from the platform the contacting means moves into contactwith the next record on the platform and as a consequence opens thevalve to permit the flow of hydraulic fluid from the chamber whereby themovable wall member, under the action of the means for raising theplatform, can bring about a flow of hydraulic fluid from the chamber andsaid flow will continue until such time that the said next record hasbeen raised to a predetermined level, whereupon the contacting meanswill have moved to close the valve to terminate the flow of fluid andconsequently prevent further movement of the movable wall member andfurther raising of the platform connected thereto.

2. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring thetop record thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted tocontain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinderand operatively connected to the movable record-storage platform, apassageway to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the cylinder, a valvedevice for controlling the flow of such fluid from the cylinder, movablemeans for contacting with the top record on the platform and aconnection between said contacting means and the valve-device.

3. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring thetop record thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted tocontain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinderand 0peratively connected to the platform, a passageway located towardsone end of the cylinder to allow such fluid to flow from the cylinder, apassageway located towards the other end of the cylinder to allow suchfluid to flow to the cylinder, said passageways leading to oppositesides of a valve device which is adapted to control the flow of thefluid from one side of the piston member to the other when the saidmember moves in one direction.

4. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, means forv rais ng said platform to bring thetop record thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted tocontain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinderand operatively connected to the platform, a passageway located towardsone end of the cylinder to allow such fluid to flow from the cylinder, apassageway located towards the other end of the cylinder to allow suchfluid to flow to the cylinder, said passageways leading to oppositesides of a valve device which is adapted to control the flow of thefluid from one side of the piston member to the other when the saidpiston member moves in one direction and a one-way valve means locatedin the piston member so that upon movement of the piston member in theother direction fluid can pass from one side of the piston to the other.

5. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring thetop record thereon to a predetermined level, a chamber adapted tocontain a hydraulic fluid, a member operatively connected to theplatform and forming a movable wall of the said chamber, a passageway toallow such fluid to flow from said chamber, a valve device forcontrolling the flow of such fluid from the chamber, a pivoted arm whoseouter end is adapted to rest upon the top record on the platform and amechanical connection between said pivoted arm and the valve device.

6. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, a movable turntable upon which records areadapted to be played and such played records stored, a two-armed leversystem interconnecting said platform and the turntable, means forraising the platform and consequently lowering the turntable in order tobring the top records thereon to a predetermined level, a chamberadapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a member operatively connected tothe platform and forming a movable wall of the said chamber, apassageway to allow .such fluid to flow from said chamber, a valvedevicefor controlling the flow of such fluid from the chamber, movable meansfor contacting with the top record on the platform and a mechanicalconnection between said contacting means and the valve device.

'7. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, a movable turntable upon which records areadapted to be played and such played records stored, a two-armed leversystem interconnecting said platform and the turntable, means forraising the platform and consequently lowering the turntable in order tobring the top records thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinderadapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged withinsaid cylinder and operatively connected to the two-armed lever system, apassageway to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the cylinder, a valvedevice for controlling the flow of such fluid from the cylinder, apivoted arur whose outer end is adapted to rest upon the top record onthe platform and a mechanical connection between said .pivoted arm andthe valve device.

8. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movablerecord-storage platform, a movable turntable upon which records areadapted to be played and such played records stored, a two-armed leversystem interconnecting said platform and the turntable, means forraising the platform and consequently lowering the turntable in order tobring the top record on each to a predetermined level, a chamber adaptedto contain a hydraulic fluid, a member forming a movable wall of saidchamber and mechanically connected to the two-armed lever system so thatsaid movable wall member constantly exerts a pressure on the hydraulicfluid in the chamber, a passageway to allow hydraulic fluid to flow fromthe chamber, a valve device for controlling the flow of such fluid fromthe chamber, movable means for contacting with the top record on theplatform and a mechanical connection between said contacting-means andthe valve device.

9.- A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a two-armed leversystem, a movable record-storage platform connected to one arm of saidlever system, a movable turntable connected to the other arm of the saidlever system and upon which turntable records are adapted to be playedand such played records stored, means for raising the platform andconsequently, as a result of the two-armed lever system, lowering theturntable in order to bring the top record on each to a predeterminedlevel, a cylinder adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a piston memberarranged within said cylinder and mechanically connected to thetwo-armed lever system so thatsaid piston constantly exerts a pressureon the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder, apassageway located towards oneend of the cylinder to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the cylinder,a passageway located towards the other end of the cylinder to allow suchfluid to flow to the cylinder, said passageways communicating throughthe intermediary of a valve device which serves to control the flow offluid from one side of the piston member to the other when the saidpiston member moves in one direction, a pivoted arm whose outer end isadapted to rest on the top record on the platform, a mechanicalconnection between said pivoted arm and the said valve device, and aone-way valve means located in the piston member so that upon movementof the piston'member in the other direction fluid can pass from one sideof the piston to the other independently of the first-mentioned valvedevice.

10. A magazine phonograph as claimed in claim 1, including spring meansfor exerting a raising influence on the movable record-storage platform.

GEORGE STANLEY MANN.

